I Hate Love, I Love Him
by Russian Angel
Summary: They were always the best of friends and nothing could ever tear them apart. But when loves blooms, who can stop it? One can try, but love always prevails. Spain x Prussia - France
1. He Didn't See It

A Spaniard, a Prussian, and a Frenchman.

That's who our story begins with; the best friends. They had been together for practically forever, always doing everything together and never really being apart. When they were pre-teens, they began listening to things about love and such, and found it completely interesting; they couldn't wait to be in love! They thought it would be fun to have a cute girl to spend days with, kissing and hugging and going on dates and such. It all sounded like paradise to the heart and mind, but boy, could they ever be so wrong. Love isn't always as sweet as people make it out to sound, and our three friends finally found this out the hard way.

Gilbert plopped down on a park bench, letting out a breath of relief. He had walked three blocks to get here and it was becoming a pain to do so every time Antonio asked him here, but it was never honestly a _bother_. He was always happy to come and see his two friends if they invited him somewhere and, honestly, he'd walk across a border or two if it meant being able to see them. They meant a lot to him and were special to his heart, as cheesy as it sounds. Gilbert couldn't remember a day they didn't spend together, like they were glued by the hips...or something. With amusement, Gilbert remembered a day the three of them went to the beach, and he and Antonio had stuck a few giant red crabs in Francis's swimming trunks and the Frenchman had shrieked and hopped all about the beach while the other two laughed until they were near tears. Another day, he remembered, Francis and Antonio had replaced all the sugar with salt, and when Gilbert had made coffee and drank it he had spat it out and was cursing about how unawesome that was.

The Prussian chuckled quietly to himself as he ran a hand through his silvery-white hair, which needed to be trimmed. Gilbert wasn't _always_ one to keep up with his appearance, besides brushing his hair and teeth and showering. Cutting or trimming his hair wasn't something he did as frequent as he should have. One time, he didn't cut it his hair at all for a year or two and ended up with hair like Francis, but Antonio frowned upon that and cut Gilbert's hair to the usual way they always saw it.

Gilbert liked how his Spanish friend looked. Antonio was appealing to look at, with tanned skin the color of caramel and thick, dark chocolate colored hair. What Gilbert liked most about the Spaniard were his eyes, because they were a light green but had flecks of dark, leafy colors in them. They always looked so happy...

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a familiar, chipper voice call out. "Gilbert! Estoy aqui! Lo siento que estoy tarde. Yo tengo gelato!" The Spaniard came running up to the Prussian, panting. He had that dorky grin on his face as he held out a small cup with two small scoops of ice cream in it. Gilbert grinned a little in return and took the cup, picking at it with the small red spoon that came with it. He heard those Spanish words often, so he vaguely had to translate them in his head. "It's alright, bro," He said, "But you _are_ the one who invited me here." The albino laughed as Antonio sat down next to him. Gilbert always found himself relishing in spending time with the Spaniard more than anybody else, maybe even Francis. But Francis was fun to hang out with! Antonio was just more...animated and less...touchy about things.

Antonio looked over at his albino friend and grinned a little. "I hope you didn't wait too long, mi amigo." The brunette leaned back against the bench and pushed some curls out of his face. "Nah~" Gilbert waved his spoon in a no gesture before scooping some of the ice cream up and letting it melt on his tongue. "Bien." Antonio smiled as he looked down at his own cup of gelato, mixing it around a little with the spoon as he sighed softly in content, just happy to be there. Antonio really liked spending time with his friends. They were so different from each other, all three of them, so everything was always so fun and spiced up.

For once, things fell into an awkward silence. Maybe it wasn't so much as awkward as it was thick; even Antonio was at a loss for words at the moment. Gilbert's thoughts wandered to when the three of them were in high school. He remembered the slacking off, the stress, the loud laughter, and all the _pranks_ they played on each other. They acted more like enemies, to everyone else, rather than friends; but Gilbert knew it was all fond gestures of their friendship. And then his brain rolled over to his giant high school secret no one knew. Not even Francis, who had something dirty on everyone.

Red eyes flickered over to the Spaniard, who was eating the rest of his _gelato_ in an absent-minded manner, green eyes staring at particularly nothing. Gilbert's eyes roamed over the park, and he smiled a little when he saw two or three siblings screaming and running around the jungle gym. The Prussian inwardly sighed and mulled over his thoughts a little. He knew Francis was bisexual... He had dated two girls in high school and three guys, though they ended a bit sourly for him so Gilbert felt a little bad. But he didn't know what Antonio was... Was he gay? Was he straight? Or was he like Francis? Gilbert bit his bottom lip a little. He knew he was gay and was fearing he was developing feelings for the Spaniard...

Antonio suddenly laughed, startling the Prussian as he gazed over at his friend. "What is it?" He asked, scooting a little closer to look at Antonio's phone, which is what the Spaniard was giggling at. "Francis just told a funny story." Antonio replied casually once his giggles died down, flipping his phone shut and stuffing it back into his pocket. Gilbert leaned back a little, making a small and disappointed 'oh' as a response; Antonio usually told him everything, but today felt different...

The Spaniard suddenly stood up and smiled wide. "I have to go now, mi amigo," He said as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Adios~" Antonio offered one last grin before he began walking off. Gilbert stared at his tanned friend walking before he looked down at his gelato cup, which had melted completely. He sighed softly and held out his hand, slowly tipping the cup over and letting the melted treat drip onto the grass. Soon, some ants began crawling out of their hidden kingdom and collecting around the puddle of sweetness. They were eating away at it...

Just like Gilbert's feelings were doing to his mind.

* * *

** o u o This is dedicated to one of my best friend and daughter, Emma~**

**I hope you liked it. :I I sort of winged it at the end. Neehee. **

**Happy birthday, Emmaaaaa. e u e**

_Estoy aqui! Lo siento que estoy tarde. Yo tengo gelato!_ - I'm here! I'm sorry I'm late. I have gelato!

_Gelato - _an Italian ice cream made from milk, gelatin, sugar, and fruit (I read somewhere it looked like ice cream. I've never had it. I looked up pictures. :I It looked like ice cream, so I put ice cream. )

_Bien - _Spanish for 'good.'

_Mi amigo - _My friend. (Male)

*** Credit for the Spanish goes to Jello. can't trust Google Translate anymore- So I promise you the Spanish is true.**


	2. Five O' Clock

Blearily, Gilbert open his eyes. _Morning already?_ The Prussian slung an arm over his eyes, letting out a short sigh before slowly sitting up in his bed. Memories of last night trickled into his mind: after he had left the park, he went straight home and watched a few hours of TV before having a lonely dinner and going to bed. It was like many of his typical nights, but more...forlorn. Sure, Gilbert liked being alone most of the times - being alone was so much fun! But yesterday, he just felt so dejected after Antonio had left. He'd like to think it was just a coincidence, Antonio nearly ignoring him and the way he felt last night. Though...Gilbert knew he couldn't cover it up, no matter how much he desperately wanted to. It was a little pathetic, in his eyes, to mope about it. '_Get up and have an awesome day!_'

Briefly rubbing his eyes, Gilbert let out a loud yawn before standing up. He looked around his room with a hopeful glint in his ruby eyes, as if an idea would come to him if he studied his rather bare room. A bed for one against the wall in the corner of the room, with black and white sheets that were now rumpled and nearly balled up; a medium-sized four drawer dresser, the top of it being filled with West's past soccer trophies and pictures of sweet childhood memories; a closet that was barely a walk-in, not having much in it besides jackets and shoes. Glancing over at the wall, Gilbert smiled faintly. Covering almost the entire canvas that was the wall was a large Prussian flag, pinned up carefully and clean in glory. His baby brother had given it to him as a birthday gift and Gilbert hadn't taken it down since. It was the item that gave him a reason to smile every day, to be valiant, to be headstrong... Yesterday, he had failed in doing all but one of those things..

Time for a lonely breakfast - the best kind.

Munching on his cereal thoughtfully, Gilbert stared at his phone which lay just in front of himself and his bowl. No new messages, calls, IMs... Usually, Antonio or at least Francis would have contacted him by now. Maybe they were still asleep. Red orbs darted up to the wall clock. Eleven fifty one AM. No, Francis would be up by now at least... Sighing over a spoon of cereal, the albino shook his head. Setting his spoon down, Gilbert snatched his phone up and unlocked the screen before sending a group message.

**TXTTXTTXT**

To: Fran, Tony

_Meet up at the park? -**GB**_

Fran:

_Oui. :) What time?_

**TXTTXTTXT**

Gilbert leaned back in his chair and pursed his lips. He took many factors into consideration — how long until he finished eating, the time that he would take to get ready, the time that _Francis_ would take to get ready. The Frenchman took forever to get ready, what with his 'luxurious' hair to wash and whatnot.

**TXTTXTTXT**

_Five o' clock sound good? -**GB**_

Fran:

_Oui :)) I promise i will be ready by then, mon ami._

_You better be, Franny. You take wayyy too fucking long! LOL. -**GB**_

**TXTTXTXT**

Gilbert frowned a little, despite his seemingly-cheerful reply. Antonio hadn't said a thing during the conversation. Well, maybe he really was sleeping... The Prussian clenched onto that thought as he shoveled another soggy bite of cereal into his mouth and stood, dumping the bowl into the sink without a care. A ding from his phone caught his attention, though. Staring at the phone on the table wearily, he hesitated. It _could_ be Antonio. But then again, it could be just Francis making a remark. Taking a chance, the Prussian slowly inched closer and unlocked his phone.

**TXTTXTTXT**

Tony:

_Si. :D I'll see you soon, mi amigos!_

_took you long enough to answer, idiot. lol! -**GB**_

**TXTTXTTXT**

* * *

Five o' clock rolled around quick enough. It only took forever and a day to do so. Gilbert was lounging on a park bench, legs stretched out and his fingers locked behind his head. Wiggling his black sneaker-clad feet, his eyes roamed over the now quiet park. Barely a person was there any more, hardly any noise except for cicadas singing and water splashing from a fountain. Antonio and Francis still weren't there.

Gilbert stretched his legs even more, staring at the small rips and holes in the black jeans he was wearing before his eyes came up to his shirt — a skull and crossbones image on it. All black today, it seemed. Mostly, anyways. "Mon ami!~" Gilbert perked up at the voice as he saw the Frenchman waving from the distance. He must have gotten back from work, from what he wore — those black formal pants and shoes, with the white button up shirt that was rolled up. The apron was missing, though.

Francis was a chef at an exclusive restaurant and he was possibly among the best in this whole damn country. At least in Gilbert's mind, he was.

The thoughts filled the back of Gilbert's head of how to greet. Francis liked kisses when he greeted a friend, while Antonio usually stuck with a hug or the occasional handshake. Standing up, the Prussian smiled and welcome Francis into his arms with gusto, pecking the Frenchman's lips automatically. "Where's Tony?" He asked, peering over Francis's shoulder. Said blonde's hair smelt nice, clean and almost like cologne... "Not 'ere yet, it seems," Francis replied as he sat down on the bench with a small flip of his hair. "Sit, mon ami! 'Ave you been waiting 'ere long?" The blonde asked as Gilbert plopped down next to him. Gilbert shook his head shortly. "Nah. 'Bout a half hour, not too long. Tony better get his ass here soon," Gilbert grinned, "It's not a party without the Spaniard!"

Francis chuckled, reaching up to card his fingers through Gilbert's soft white hair affectionately before patting his head. "Oui, oui.. 'E is quite the catche, non?" The blonde dropped his hand and sighed softly. Gilbert glanced over at Francis before pulling a tight smile, laughing a little. "Yeah.. He's a real catch.." The Prussian murmured, leaning back against the bench as he let out a small sigh.

Antonio really was a nice guy. He hardly ever got mad and when he did, you know it had to be over something serious. He was always so kind and understanding... That bright smile was always on his face, too, like nothing ever brought his day down, like nothing ever rained on his parade. Gilbert closed his eyes slowly, pressing his lips together lightly. Antonio's smile was so nice... His lips looked soft, too, like they were the kind of lips everyone just wanted to ki- Gilbert snapped himself out of his thoughts, blinking owlishly at the ground. '_Get yourself together, man! That's your best friend!_' The Prussian pressed his lips together again before looking up at the movement of Francis. "Bonjour, mon ami!" "Hola, mi amigos~!" Gilbert's head snapped towards that familiar voice. His heart clenched slightly.

Faintly, Gilbert could only wonder what they would all talk about...

* * *

**A/N: Eeeeeee- I'm so sorry this took so long. ;u; I honestly didn't expect this story to get much attention and I was quite shocked to see reviews and favorites and some follows! I'm trying to write this so I can satisfy you guys, since you...God knows why, want to read more of this. xD**

**Sorry if it's crappy. I finished the last few paragraphs as of right now, 3:01 AM. **

**YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRANSLATIONS, I GIVE UP ON THOSE. XD -heart!-**


	3. Happy Gilbert

Upon seeing Francis greet Antonio, like usual, with the friendly kiss, Gilbert's heart couldn't help but clench slightly. Seeing his crush being greeted like that by another person just...didn't sit right with him. Of course it wouldn't. It probably never would...

"Mi amigo~" Antonio beamed at Gilbert, causing the albino to flush slightly before hugging the Spaniard in return. Usually, he smelt kind of earthy, like he had been gardening a lot...but today, he oddly smelt a bit like chocolate. Gilbert wondered what Antonio had been doing before he came here, to make him smell like chocolate. "We were just talking about you, Antonio.~" Francis smiled, clapping a hand upon the brunette's shoulder. "Yeah, asshole," Gilbert grinned, "You should learn to get here faster!" Playfully, he pushed the Spaniard, who laughed in return with bright eyes. "Lo siento. I was looking around the pet shop a little when you texted, Gilbert. They had so many cute little puppies and kittens! I should show you guys sometime, si?" Once more, that perfect grin flashed on Antonio's face, and Gilbert couldn't help his thoughts; he suddenly wanted to be one of those cute puppies or kittens, to get the Spaniard's attention...

* * *

The three friends were now seated around a small duck pond. It was sort of a secluded area, hidden by a few trees, so it was a good spot for privacy. Antonio was closest to the edge of the pond with Francis next to him. Gilbert, however, stayed a little back. He never trusted water and could almost say he didn't know how to swim - _well_ enough, that is. He could doggy paddle, but it took a lot of effort and he usually took a long time just to get to one edge of the pool to the other. It was a bit embarrassing, not knowing how to swim as well as Antonio or Francis could. But the albino usually had a good excuse to stay away from any water; he burned too easily in the sun.

The sound of Francis's voice brought him out of his thinking state, reddish gems blinking owlishly as he tuned into the conversation. He didn't quite catch what the Frenchie said, but Antonio spoke next. "Si, si.. I was thinking when Lovino gets out of school for summer break, we could all go to the beach or something," The Spaniard twisted around and smiled at Gilbert, voice softening a bit. He knew swimming was a touchy subject. "Does that sound like fun to you, Gilbert..?" The albino shifted slightly at the question, wetting his lips briefly as he leaned forward a bit. Hesitantly, he nodded and forced a smile. "Ja... Ja, that sounds like a lot of fun." "Great!" Antonio chortled as he turned back around and stared at the water of the pond. A warm breeze blew by, almost slowly, and at that moment it almost seemed like perfection in silence - the three were happy and calm... "I think we should get some gelato." Francis suddenly suggested, running a hand through his hair. He always delighted in how his hair felt like silk, taking pride in how he cared for his tresses.

Things fell into silence again. No one responded to Francis, who seemed to be changing his gaze between Antonio and Gilbert. Antonio was distracted by the fishes swimming in the pond, scales gleaming lightly as they darted around. Gilbert just seemed to be staring off into space, a blank expression and thoughtless eyes. No. Those eyes... They had emotions in them. Francis squinted slightly and tried to read the Prussian's face. He was a bit troubled, maybe stressed.. Probably not a subject he wanted to talk about. The Frenchman picked at the hem of his shirt before scooting back a little, leaning over to gently peck Gilbert's lips.

Snapping out of his thoughts, the albino blinked wildly as his brain tried to catch up on what had happened. Who kissed- "You looked troubled, mon ami," Francis smiled at him, one of those genuine and understanding smiles, "You know... If you 'ave any trouble, we, Antonio and I, are always 'ere for you." The blonde looked over at the Spaniard, who was still gazing at the pond, deep in thought. "Well, maybe 'e won't always be..._'ere_, you know." Francis laughed a little while gently bumping his knuckle against Gilbert's forehead, who blinked and smiled in return. "Alright, Franny, you can stop being a lady now~" The albino grinned before boosting himself up to stand, dusting his backside off. He edged a little closer to Antonio, eyes trained on the water until they dropped down to the top of Antonio's head, which he poked lightly with his finger. "Get your ass up, Tony." Gilbert smiled, turning his head towards the sound of beeping. Francis looked at his watch, frowning a bit. "Unfortunately, mon amis, I 'ave to return to work now. The restaurant gets busy at this time of day." The Frenchman put on a smile and stepped closer to peck both Gilbert and Antonio's cheek (which, to Gilbert's utter jealously, he thought he saw Francis kissing Antonio's cheek just a _fraction_ of a second longer) before he pivoted on his heel to begin walking away. Gilbert watched the blonde, letting out a small and short sigh. His French friend always walked like he was born from elegance itself, always carrying himself proudly and never faltering in step or decision. Elegance was Francis's mother and Charm was his father. Gilbert laughed a little at his own productive imagination.

"Mi amigo," Antonio prodded Gilbert's arm while he stared at the screen of his phone. It was red, and maybe it was a gift from Kiku. Gilbert couldn't remember, but he raised a questioning eyebrow. "Yeah?" "My sister, Antonietta, is having friends over today.. Do you think I could..stay at your house for the night? I don't want to be intruding their time. Antonietta barely gets any time to herself." Gilbert felt a shiver run up his spine slowly. Antonio...staying at _his_ house? For the _night_? Oh, God must be looking down on him today! This had to be a miracle. Sure, both Francis and Antonio had stayed over at his house before, but that's when they were just kids and- and- he'll be _alone_ with Antonio. Excitement was bubbling through his veins.

"Yeah, of course. Come on, I'll show you the way."

* * *

"Er... Sorry for the mess," Gilbert said sheepishly, clearing his throat as he kicked some beer cans and bottles away from the front door before Antonio could notice fully. "I don't usually have guests over anymore." While his living room wasn't all that clean, it wasn't like it was a pigsty. Just a few bottles, cans, and plates left around. "It's okay." Antonio beamed before moving to flop onto the loveseat, sighing a little. "Ah, you've redecorated... I remember when these walls were white." He teased, pointing at the walls that weren't exactly freshly painted as they used to be. Gilbert blushed and grumbled something in German, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, well, I don't have time for cleaning. That's what women are for!" Gilbert countered, grinning a little as he slumped onto the couch, letting his hands rest at his sides. "Antonietta would kick your ass if she heard you say that." The Spaniard grinned in return as he sat up straight, crossing his legs. "Your sister's pretty badass, but she doesn't scare me! She's not awesome enough yet to do that." Gilbert waved his hand, as if that mere thought were just silly to think of. The Prussian stood up and lingered by the entrace to the kitchen. "Drink? I've got beer, milk, water..." "Water, por favor." "Right." Gilbert cleared his throat and took his sweet time walking into the kitchen, lazily swinging the fridge door open. He grabbed a bottle of water and one beer bottle, closing the fridge door before he looked up at the ceiling. Doing a little punch in the air, he grinned like an absolute fool as he walked back into the living room, tossing the bottle of water into Antonio's lap.

Today couldn't be any better.

* * *

**A/N: Shhh. The end was rushed, yes. It's 6:25 AM right now. XD Leave me alone, the chapter's decent enough- Love you, guys! |D -heart-**


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